We, at The Week, consulted Suman Shrestha, stylist at K&S Hair Studio, to find out how we can protect our hair against the weather and pollution.

There are many reasons for hair to become dry especially in Kathmandu where the water, pollution, and lifestyle all add to the dullness and dryness. And then comes winter that makes it all the more difficult for you to tame those locks.  

Oiling your hair
“At the end of a long day, you do not go home, put on your face cream and then go wash your face. Neither do you neglect your face and go to bed directly without bothering to wash it for you know the consequences will be dire and you may wake up with pimples,” says Suman. Following this same logic, he says that you shouldn’t oil your scalp when your hair is dirty. Only oil the length of your hair about 30 minutes before taking a shower. If you want to oil your scalp, wash your hair on a Friday night, if you have qualms about leaving the house with oil on your hair, and then oil it and wash again before heading out on Saturday or Sunday.  

The right product 
With the unlimited options available in the market, choosing the right shampoo can be quite a daunting task for anyone. If you wash your hair every day, make sure you have three to four shampoos that you can rotate for the week. Have at least one non-cream based shampoo that is transparent like Johnson’s baby shampoo, Nyle or Ayur. When going for a shampoo, don’t fall into the trap of advertisements and buy mid ranged shampoos. Milk based shampoos (the non transparent ones) usually make the top of your hair flat and the ends frizzy. 

Due to our weather and the kind of food we eat, our scalps are generally oilier than most European people. Since most shampoos are made keeping this target audience in mind, the shampoos made in India are usually a safe bet for our kind of hair. 

Lifestyle
“Most of us are still following the things our grandparents taught us without taking into consideration just how much has changed between then and now,” says Suman. 
These changes have not just had an impact in our lifestyles, but also in our environment which have bought about huge changes in our bodies and our hair. We worry more and have to deal with more stress than our parents or grandparents which take a toll on our hair, in form of hair fall and dullness.

We are very aware of the fact that we need to stay fit and exercise, but oftentimes we don’t immediately shower after working out and when we do, we sometimes skip washing the hair. The sweat that comes out from the hair after working out dries out our hair more than anything else. Make sure that after working out, you immediately wash your hair and don’t go a day or two without washing when you skip it immediately after. People who drive motorbikes tend to have drier hair than people who drive cars or even walk for they are constantly stuck in traffic in the midst of exhaust fumes. Try to cover your hair by using scarves and make sure your helmet remains clean by lining it with cotton napkins.   
Suman Shrestha

Food habits
The saying ‘You are what you eat’ applies to hair as well. Drinking water doesn’t only benefit your skin, it benefits your hair too. If you eat more junk food, you will have drier hair as compared to if you eat healthy and nutritious food. Having protein, iron, omega-3, vitamin C and vitamin E rich food will help nourish your hair. Eating an egg yolk a day might keep your hair shiny for it contains biotin and stops your hair from getting too brittle.

Home treatments 
Mix a bit of castor oil to any other oil base of your choice and apply it to the length of your hair. Apply conditioner on top of the oil and then go take a shower. Alternatively, you can mix half portion water and half portion conditioner together and apply it to dry hair before taking a shower. If the hair is already wet, you don’t need to dilute the conditioner. This protects the hair from water damages and the harsh chemicals of the shampoos. These conditioners are not meant for your scalp so make sure you only apply and comb through the length of your hair. 

Homemade hair mask
You will need
1 egg
1 ripe blackened banana
1 spoon honey
1 spoon of three different kinds of oils (any of your choice)

Blend everything together to form a paste and apply on your hair. Leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse it off. Apply this mask a few times and you will notice a drastic difference in terms of shine and smoothness.

 
• no more hair woes
 
• beautilicious